Electric motor switch



Nov. w, w23, n 1,474,180

M. H. SPIELMAN ET AL ELECTRIC MOTOR SWITCH Filed Aug. 5, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 1 man MT5 Ey 19d/6@ www,

Nov. 134, 1923. n 1,474,180

M. HVSFIELMAN ET AL ELECTRIC MOTOR SWITCH Filed Aug. 5, 1920 2 `Sheets-Sheet 2 Pdtented Nov.` i3, 1923.

` IvlJlsurizo STATES PA'IllNr 'oFFlcE.-

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To all whom z't may concern:

` Be it known th t we, MmroN H. SPIEL- MAN and ALBERT R. Gommoni, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland .in thecounty of Cuyahoga and State o Ohio, have invented a certain new and 'use-f in Electric Motor' Switches ful Improvement of which the following'is a full, clear,` an

' lexact description, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings'. y This invention relates to centrifugal elec# tric switches.' The essential'ob'ect o'f the.

invention is to provider-'a simp eyeifective switch adapted to ymove to open or closel a.

circuit when the rotary ele'jrnent towhich it is attached 'attains a predetermined speed, and to reverse the movement when vthe speed falls below' a predetermined point.-

is to so construct the switchthat its opening movement may be accomplished ata different speed than the speed at -which' the closD movement occurs. They principle on 1n w ichl our switc'h'is designed is readily adaptable for use in connection with motors of a type employing auxiliary 'starting windings in addition to a working winding; the auxiliary windings being cut outof the circuit upon the attainment of a'predetermined speed and remaining electrically disconnected until the rotor falls to aspeed-.

considerably below the cutting out speed.

VMore `specific objects of the invention are to so construct the switch that it may be rapid and positive in operation, avoiding arcing and consequential wear, and capable .of being manufactured for quantity production purposes from sheet metal by punching and stamping operations.

A4 further object of this invention is to construct a vswitch in` which the elements have been reduced to a minimum', while retaining lall the highly desirable .characteristics'ofaccurate and positive performance. These parts -are'dissimilarly shaped`in such l amannerthat they may be accurately and be assembled rapidly produced and also ma bv a few very simple ste s. he weights of the elements actuated y the centrifugal ,force are so determined that the same size rspring is used controlling these elements. Su'ch anfarrangement eliminates confusion "and the possibility of errors of assembling,

A more particular object of the 'invention or ernennen, omo; A" conroiwnon ancorato moron e Application mea um s, im. semi in. man..

when "the springs `are being' placed in the switch." i

Further objects will becomeV evidentl inrthe following description relating tolthe preferred form of the switch as applied to -an induction motor. teristics are summarized in the c laims.

r. tion of the motor being axiallysectioneo'to illustratethe position of the switch parts which illustrates the movin elements of the switch parts and showing cagramm'atically the starting-Hand running windings; Fig. 3 isa similar view showing the same switch elements in their open or ruiming s 4eexl po The essential charac-'- accompanying drawings,. which-illustrate a i In the drawingsFig. 1 is la side elevation of av motor equipped with our switch, a

' within the motor; Fig. 2 is a side elevation sition; Fig. 4 is.a cross section ta en substantially'along the line L -4 of Fi .2 and illustrates the contact position of tge moving elements of the switch with the stationary parts;-Fig. 5 i-s a similar cross section, valong the line 8 3 of Fig. 3 and illustrates the open or running position of the contact elements and their relation to the ooacting stationary parts; Fig. isan end view of a part of the supporting plate showing'l the pivot of the levers; Fig. 7 is `a sideyiew of motor with .a suitable base 2 and carrying the field winding indicated at 3. En ing plates 4 are fitted to the part l an suitable bearings arranged asfshown at 5 foran armature shaft 6.' O'n-tlie armature shaft is carried the usual rotor 7. l Suitably insulated from the rotor7 and carried rigidly v thereb is a supporting disk 1() carrying the movab evswitch 'Contact yelements andi actu-l ating means therefortosbe hereinafter` de- The contact elements coactivithconcentric rings which are in the form of a pair of collector rings vBO and 3l,- each having a ilange secured to an insulatingsupport I 32, which is rigidly secured to the end :nem-

lrotor b ber 4 of the motor frame by screws indicated at 33. To these non-rotating members may befconnected wires indicated at 34 and' 35, one connected with each member and leading to the coils as will be presently described.

The disk 10 is shown as lsecured'to the screws 8 extendingA thru` insulating was ers 9 at each side of the plate., While the shank of the screw passes thru an enlarged opening :filled with insulation Ina-- terial. The disk 10 is thereby insulated from the rotor while securely fastened thereto. On this disk l0 a pair of contact arms are shown as pivotally'mounted, each comprising arcuate contact portions 12 and 13', turned laterally from shanks 14 pivoted at 21 to-` the disk support 10 and having counterweights as at 27 and 28, on the opposite side of the pivot 21. A centrifugal Weight arm 22 is likewise mounted on the pivot 21 and extends in an arcuate path part way around the rotor shaft 8, normal to the collector rings 30 and 31 but spaced therefrom.

The supporting plate. as shown in Fig. 7 is drawn from a sheet metal blank. with a flange extending about the plate slightly more than half its circumference. Spring clearances are provided on both sides of an' upset pivot supporting` lug 41 and lugs 42 and 43, normal to the supporting plate, furnish suitable 'spring anchorages. The Weight of flanged portion serves as a counterbalance for the opposing weight of the contact elements and the end 44 is utilized as a spring anchorage.

An arcuate slot 45 with an enlarged opening 47 at its outer end is provided to slidably receive a lug 29 for bracing and guiding the lever 22 and which will hereinafter he referred to.

On the outer contact arm 12 a small springr larm 15, which is integral with it, is engaged by a spring 16, having the other end hooked to the flanged portion 44 of the supporting plate 40, while the spring 17 for the inner contact arm is hooked thru an opening on the shank portion 14. The spring 18 lfor the centrifugal weight arm isl hooked to 'a small arm 20, which is integral with the weight arm and the other end is hooked to the lug 42 on the support 10. l

The three springs are of the same diameter and gage of wire and have an equal number of coils, butlthe amount of stretch of each spring is when in position different, due to a variation in the spring leverages.

The collector rings 30 and 31 are secured to an insulating disk 32, which has slots 50 provide-d to admit the terminals 34 and 35, y rivets 48 in the form of a U-shaped cup with appropriate clearance holes' 49. and then parted by cutting the concentric slot 51. By thus mounting the rings concentrically. accuracy of the contact surfaces is assured.

This results in even wear aii'd consequent greater life of the switch parts.

The centrifugal weight arm is arranged so that it may comprise more than a. half circle and have its weighted end, opposite the pivot 21 stand' in a position normally bringing the4 centre of gravity of this arm nearly diametrically opposite this pivot, but just slightly off from the centre, whereby the outward movement of the arm 22may he accelerated under the action of the centrifugal force, by reason of its centre of gravity continually moving away from the centre of rotation. This change of the position of the centre of' gravity. from a point nearly opposite its pivot to a point, bringing the line of force thru the pivot and the centre of gravity, farther and farther from the entre of rota-tion, increases the centrifugal' component. so that the latter part of the outward movement of this arm is much more rapid than the first or inner portion of the movement. By adjusting the tension of the spring 18 in proper relation to the weight of the arm and positioning the centre of gravity with-relation to the centre of rotation. we may cause this movement to occur suddenly after the rotor has attained the predetermined speed and thereby accomplished the entire outward movement of the arm during a comparatively few rotations of the rot-or.

To cause this arm to move the-contacts 12 and 13 outwardly, we provide an offset in the arm forming a shoulder adapted to strike the corner 28 of the outer contact 12. A lug 25 (on 22) may then strike and raise the inner contact, after having raised the outer contact. As the arm 22 moves outwardly, the first portion of its movement preferably does not affect the movement of the contact arm 12, but attains a certain accelera-tion in its outward movement. while the pressure of the contact arms is maintained uniform, due tothe centrifugal force exerted upon the counterweighting parts of the contact arms. It is apparent that the instant the outer contact is raised the starting circuit is cut out, even though the inner contact 13 may still bc in engagement with the inner collector ring 31. By thus striking the outer Contact first, the rapidity of break is much greater than if both contacts were thrown out at the same time. arranginn the centrifugal weight armnnd the contact arm as we have Shown the proper working of the switch is assured, even though the rate of rotation of the rotor were to remain at the throw out, speed, as the arms continue to more outwardly to a position stop where the component forces urging them outwardly are at a maximum. It is intended that the spring forces acting on the variousl arms are greater at this maximum outer position, but the Springs are so designed that lllf;

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they have sulcient strength to'retum the arms'to a proper)st'artingpositionV at the same time t ey exert forces considerablyless than the centrifugal force holding these partsout.

A reduction of the speed then to avery much lower speed than the speedat which ,the contacts are moved outwardly, is necessary before the springs will overcome the.

centrifugal force acting -at'the maximum outward component of the arm 22.

In the embodiment, a mot'orl circuit in cludinga workingv coil is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 2 at 36 directly connected acrossthe wires 37 and 38.v A starting coil' 39 is connected at one end to the wire 38 and at the other end thru the wirel 34 to the collector vring 30.` The outer collector ring 31 is connected thru the wire 35 to the line wire 37; When the contacts 12 and 13 are in engagement with the concentric collector rings 30 and 31, they form a constant bridge across these rings,l thecurrent passing from one ring tothe otherthru the contact arms and pivot.4 Thus during the starting of the motor the switch' is in the position shown in Figs. 2v and 4- in which the starting coil operates in-parallel with 'theworking' coil 36 and the contacts 12 and` 13, maintained in contact with the collector rings 30 and 31 by the springs I16 ,and 17, while rotating about these rings, close the circuit across the same.

The centrifugal arm 22 may carry al weight washer 23 properly secured atl its outer end, and a stop pin 29, rovided with position shown 1n edge 27 engages the corner of the outerfcontact 28 at a time when the arm 22 is mov ing -outwardly with comparative rapidity and the centrifugal force acting on the arm causes the contactto be suddenly separated from the outer collector ring, breaklngthe circuit through the starting coil 39 and ca using the current subsequently delivered vto pass only thruvthe workingA coils 36. A further outward movement of the arm 22 raises the inner contact-from the inner collector ring and .comes to a positive stop by means -of the s topFpin329 to the' running Upon shuttingfoif the currentpassing thru the coil 36 the motor atoneediminishes jbe obtained,

-it's speed, butfas'the arm 22 is in the posi;- tion at which the least centrifugal force is required to maintain the outer sition, the motor slows down to a much ower speed than that at which the contacts were removed from the collector rings before the contacts are again broughty into engagement therewith. By lway of illustration one form of motor on-which we have-employed thisv switch uses the starting coils up to substantially thirteen lhundred `fifty. (1350) revolutions per minute, whereu n the con# tacts arealmost instantaneous y separated from the concentric collector rings and the motor may then increase its speed up toabout seventeen hundred fifty (1750) rev'- lutions per minute, Aand may decrease its speed to substantially eighthundred fifty (850) revolutions per minute before the contacts again engage the "collector rings.

From the foregoing description it is evident' that our swtch lends itself to construction, `such t at may have a circiiit breaking action in which arcing and ednsequen't wear ,have been.` reduced to a mi 1 mum, and at the same time any desired co bination of opening and closing speeds `m y v urthermore, a minimum n ber of elements are employed and these elements are simple. in shape and incidentall can be cheaply and accurately made. t will also be seen that we have' Adesigned a switch embodying the present invention, in

which the assembling 4 can be expeditiously" and accurately accomplished without the cal skill. Another advantageous .charac` teristic of our switch is'that it is. very compact and may occupy a comparatlvel space, which is very necessary in av aptmg`V it to some t pesof motors.

' employment of any extraordinary mechanif- Having t us described our. invention, we

' 1. A centrifugal switch com rising stationary vconcentric terminal cylinders, the outer cylinder having an inwardly`.extending flange andthe inner'cylinder having an outwardly extending ,flange, an `,insulating member secured'to .the Ilan' es of. said cyli`n` ted, rrotatable andA radially movab e brushes 'contacting with the outer surfaces of said cylinders, means ders, electricall connec for resiliently nmaintaining the vbrushes in engagement withI the vrespective cylinders, and means vfor causin disengagement' from said cylinders. at pre etermined speeds iof rotation. 2 i f v. 6.2. A centrifugalv switch comprising sta- .tionary concentric terminalrings havingcontact surfaces of different diameter,- one being electrically connected rotatable brushes re siliently maintained in 'engagement vwith said rings below ,a predeterminedspeed, and

means including a vsingle weightharm actu-v disposed inside Y, of the other, and

lio

ated by lcentrifugal force for moving both of said brushes away from lsaidA rings at a predetermined speed of rotation, al1 of the movable members having a common pivotal center.l

3. The combination, with a rotor and reln atively fixed parallel rings coaxially mounted with relation to the rotor, and having ContactV surfaces in radial alignment7 a brush engaging each ring and pivotally carried on said rotor, and means for resiliently maintaining each brush in independent engagement witha ring, and centrifugally actuatedy means movable independently of the brushes, and means forinterconnecting the brushes and said last named means whereby outward movement of said means :may cause disengagement of the brushes from the rings at a predetermined speed.

4. In a centrifugal switch, the combinac tion with a rotary member, a pair of terminal cont-act rings mounted concentrically of the axis of said rotary member, a brush pivoted o'n the rotaryimember for engaging each of said rings, means for yieldingly and independently holding each of said brushes into engagement with said ring, said brushes being electrically connected, a weight member and resilient means independent of the brushes tending to draw it toward the center, said weight'member being adapted to move outwardly under the iniuence of the centrifugal torce, connections' whereby said weight member may suddenly -move both of said brushes 'to disengage them from the rings upon the attainment of a predetermined speed.

A. centrifugal switch comprising a rotary member, a pair 'of concentric cylinder rings mounted coaxially of said rotary member, a brush normally yieldingly engaging each ring, a weight arm pivoted to the rotary member and movable outwardly independently of each brush but being adapted to cause disengagement of one ot' the brushes from. its ring during such outward movement, yielding lmeans independent ot' the brushes normally tending to hold the weight arm inwardly, and means where by a complete outward movement oit such arm results in the disengagement or both brushes, and the holding of said brushes thus disengaged until the yerotor reaches a comparatively low predetermined speed.

A centrifugal switch comprising a rotary member, a pair of stationary concentric contact rings, brushes movably mounted on the contact arm, and yielding means for normally causing engagement of brush with each ring, a single centrifugally actuated weight element movably mounted on said rotary member, yielding means for holding the brushes in engagement with the rings and tending to hold said weight element, inwardly coasting shoulders lbetween the weight arm and brushes whereby the weight element may successively disengage the brushes :anc maintain disengagement until a compara tively low predetermined speed is reached and counter-balancing means on the rotar:y member opposite the weight arm and brushes whereby -tlieswitch may be balanced in its normal ruiming speed.

7 A centrifugal switcn comprising a rotary member, a pair of terminal rings concentric with said rotary member, a brush element for each ring, and a weight lever for causing outward movement of said elements, said weight lever and brush elements having a common pivotal center, and springs for said lever and brush elements, each spring being connected at one end to the rotary member, all of said springs being formed initially ot the same size and strength and being so attached as Vto permit a comparatively heavy' weight arm to start to move before permitting movement of the brushes.

8. The combination, with a rotor and relatively fixed parallel rings coaxially mounted with relation to the rotor, a counterbalanced brush engaging each ring and carried by a common pivot on said rotor, centrifugally actuated means movable independently ot the brushes, andV means for interconnecting lthe brushes and said last named means whereby outward movement of said means may cause successively disengagement ot the brushestromthe rings each at a respective predetermined speed.

9. In a centrifugal switch, a pair of flanged cylindrical contact rings, said contact rings having radial flanges, the yliange on one cylinder extending inwardly, the flange on the other cylinder extending outwardly, an insulatingmember comprising a mounting for lthe contact'rings secured to said tianges, there being an annular space between the respective flanges when so positioned on the insulating member.

10. In a centrifugal switch, the combina tion of a rotary support, a pair of flanged concentric Contact rings having cylindrical contact surfacesnormal to the flanges, a pair of iarms carrying brushes having a common pivotal center in contact with the rings, a weighted lever mounted to rotate about this pivotal center and means carried by the weighted lever `whereby suwessivc disengagement of the brushes from said' termined speeds.

ll. ln a centrifugal switch, the combination of a rotary support having a flanged portion 'serving as counterbalance, a pair orn cylindrical Contact rings having contact surfaces in radial alignment, a pair of arms carrying brush' portionsin contact with said ringsfl-and. having -a- 'commonpivotal contact rings may be obtained at predeposite center positioned on the rotary support opsaid counterbalancing iange, a Weight lever rotatably mounted at the same pivotal center as the brush arms, and independent resilient means secured to each of said arms and said support for normally maintaining each of said arms in inward position. p y

12. In a centrifugal switch, \the combi'- bination of a rotary support having a flanged counterbalancing portion, a pair of armshaving brushes positioned thereon, a pair of'Y contact rings mounted concentrically of said support, one of said brushes being positioned at a greater radial ldistance from .the center of rotation than the other, a iveight arm having acommon pivotal cen-r ter with the brush arms, and means on said weight arm for causing the successive disengagement of said brushes from the contact rings at predetermined speeds.

13. In a centrifugal switch, a pair of anged concentrio collector rings having cylindrical contact surfaces normal to the flanges and a supporting member formed of insulating material secured to said flanges, the outer surfaces of the cylindrical portions o the rings comprising contacting surfaces.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aiiix our signatures.

f M. H.` SPIELMAN.

ALBERT R. GOLDRICK, 

